This Blog is a hypothetical discussion on how North American Football fans can watch NFL Game Pass anywhere in the world.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

How to Watch Live NFL Games on Your PC

When Yahoo announced they were streaming all NFL games live via NFL Game Pass - I thought finally the NFL has come around to meeting the mobile needs of its most devout fans. For individuals based outside the US, this was certainly true, as the service is restricted from usage with the US.

The problem is, any individual who legitimately signed up for this service in the EU, is unable to access what he has paid for while traveling within the States.

I can not imagine this is the intent of the offer. If you find yourself on a road trip in the US, and would still like to access NFL game pass, there is a work around that has worked for me.

First, a little on how Yahoo tries to determine if you're based in the US. They scan your IP address, and based on it, they determine your physical location. You can follow the following steps to access NFL Game Pass if you find your self in this conundrum:

1.) Install an IP Privacy Shield on your PC:

There are many free, easy to install shields on download.com. "HidemyIP" is my particular favorite, avialable for free trial. It's quick and easy to download and get running. Once you click the "Hide IP" button, you will effectivly be shielded . Now go to YAHOO NFL GAME PASS, and you should have the option to sign up.

If you dont, there's a chance Hidemyip gave you another north american address. Simply unhide, and then hide your address again to have a new IP assigned to you. You'll know you have it right when the Game Pass site lets you sign up.

2.) Login to your NFL Game Pass account

Be sure to have your IP shield tool on. You should be good to go.

3.) Disclaimer

This is a simple technical exercise I attempted while on vacation in the US. If you are a NFL game pass holder, you should verify with your customer service rep if there are any EULA issues with this method.